By Lindsey Coulter��

School restrooms have long been viewed as purely functional spaces, but educators, architects and administrators are increasingly recognizing that��restroom design can��have an outsized impact on safety,��wellness��and the overall student��experience. Rather than focusing solely on gender inclusion, many districts are rethinking restroom design as an opportunity to improve comfort,��privacy��and supervision��for all users.��

That shift is prompting architects to move beyond traditional multi-stall restroom layouts in favor of designs that create greater openness in shared spaces while offering significantly more privacy where students need it most.��Prompted in part by the AIA’s��“Inclusive restrooms & locker rooms in K-12 schools” report��from��2024,��more education leaders and design partners are��reimagining��these critical spaces to offer��a more dignified approach to the traditional��restroom��experience��that also nets��better student health outcomes.��

Rethinking the Restroom��

According to Joel Williams,��Studio Director for Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA) in the firm’s Castle Rock, Colo., office,��the conversation has evolved well beyond accommodating specific student populations.��

“Restrooms are one of the most challenging spaces on a school campus,��from the student��experience standpoint and from the supervision standpoint,” Williams said. “It’s not a space��that��administrators can easily moderate. The bad stuff that happens on��a campus��often happens in a restroom.”��

For Williams, the discussion begins with a simple question: Are school restrooms actually serving students?��He often��references Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs when discussing restroom design with��education��clients.��Before students can fully engage academically, they must first feel physically safe and comfortable meeting their most basic needs.��

“Having things like air, food, water, shelter, sleep and clothing are foundational, and I think bathrooms fit in that layer,” Williams said.��“When students��avoid��using��the bathroom at school, that’s a very clear sign that it’s a problem.”��

Stakeholder engagement sessions reinforce that conclusion. When Williams asks students,��parents��and teachers to describe school restrooms, the responses��often include words such as “smelly,” “dirty,” “dark,”��and��“sketchy.”��Vaping,��bullying��and general discomfort are��also��recurring concerns.��

Balancing Privacy��With��Supervision��

The greatest design challenge lies in balancing two competing priorities: creating��enough��privacy for students while��maintaining��enough visibility to discourage inappropriate behavior.��Rather than hiding the entire restroom behind a single door, many newer concepts shift openness deeper into��the space. Shared handwashing areas become visible from adjacent corridors, while individual toilet rooms are enclosed with full-height walls and doors��for more visual and acoustic privacy.����

Because the shared areas��remain��visible, staff members no longer��have to��enter enclosed restroom spaces to��monitor��activity. Students moving in and out naturally create��additional��accountability, while security cameras can��monitor��circulation zones without compromising privacy inside the toilet rooms.��

The approach also addresses newer concerns such as digital bullying. Traditional partitions leave gaps above, below and beside stalls that can expose occupants to unwanted photography or harassment. Full-height compartments��largely eliminate��those vulnerabilities.��

Small Details Can Improve Comfort��

Beyond the overall layout, Williams believes��seemingly minor��design decisions can significantly improve the user experience.��Things like��door hardware��and��occupancy��indicators��to reassure users that the door is secured��contribute to reducing anxiety.����

Accessibility is another opportunity to improve restroom functionality.��

Williams advocates��for��including sinks within larger accessible toilet rooms. While originally intended to serve wheelchair users, these spaces can also provide��additional��privacy for students dealing with medical conditions, menstrual��hygiene��or other personal needs.��

“It’s about providing space that accommodates other people who need whatever special considerations they may have on that particular visit,” Williams said. “That’s an example of how we can make these spaces better for��everybody.”��

Read the full article in the Design & Construction issue of ������Ů, available now.

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• Los Altos School District has started construction on a new 70,000-square-foot San Antonio Campus serving transitional kindergarten through eighth grade.��
• The six-building campus will include 29 classrooms, a library, gymnasium, multipurpose room, administration space, outdoorareas��and athletic fields.��
• Blach Construction and Quattrocchi Kwok Architectsare delivering��the project using the Folia Ecosystem, a customizable prefabricated building approach.��
• The City of Mountain View is contributing funding for a new two-acre public park and joint-use athletic fields and gymnasium.
• Completion is expected in fall 2028.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. —��Los Altos School District has broken ground on a new San Antonio Campus in Mountain View, Calif., a project intended to add space for students in transitional kindergarten through eighth grade as enrollment grows.��

The 70,000-square-foot campus is being delivered by Blach Construction and Quattrocchi Kwok Architects and is expected to be completed in fall 2028.��

Plans call for six buildings, outdoor learning and recreation areas, and athletic fields. The campus will include 29 classrooms, with dedicated spaces for transitional kindergarten and kindergarten, along with an administration wing, library, gymnasium, multipurpose��room��and a restroom building serving the athletic fields.��

The district selected the Folia Ecosystem, a customizable prefabricated building solution developed by Blach Construction, Quattrocchi Kwok Architects and GPLA Structural Engineers. According to the supplied release, the system is intended to improve schedule and cost predictability while allowing the district to use adaptable one- and two-story structures for classroom, administrative and library functions. Separate multipurpose and gymnasium buildings are also planned.��

The project also emphasizes campus access, neighborhood��integration��and shared community use. Plans include dedicated bike lanes, updated parking��routes��and circulation improvements intended to support safer movement for students and families.��

Los Altos School District is working with the City of Mountain View on recreation components at the site. The city is contributing funding for a new two-acre public park, while the athletic fields and gymnasium are planned for joint use with the city.��

District officials said the campus��is��the result of several years of planning and collaboration. The project team also described the design as focused on flexible, student-centered learning environments and long-term adaptability.��

Los Altos School District serves students across nine schools in Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Mountain��View��and Palo Alto.��

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By Aaron Jobson��

During the post-World War II population��boom,��school construction accelerated across the country��as��school systems swelled with new students. As many of these��1950s- and 60s-era��campuses��are now 60��to75 years��old,��they present school��districts��with��several��challenges.����

Many��aging��school��facilities��are in need of��repair,��failing to��meet current building code and safety��standards,��and��requiring��significant investment.��Coinciding with this need,��the modern��approach to educational and community programs,��and��the��understanding of the impact of learning environment quality on educational outcomes��has changed��dramatically.��Older buildings may not provide the flexibility needed for next-generation learning,��or the daylight, ventilation,��and other features that support learning and��wellbeing.��This leaves many��districts��with��the complicated challenge of��deciding whether to modernize or replace existing campus buildings,��all while continuing to��operate��an active school.����

For each school��facing these��challenges,��it is best to��start with a master-planning level analysis of modernization and replacement options. For each��option��it is important to consider a variety of parameters,��including:��

• Existing building conditions,��including needs for��code and��structural upgrades��
• Construction��budget��
• Schedule��and��phasing��
• Campus��operations��and��safety��during construction��
• Learning��environment��quality����
• Community impact��

Taking this holistic view ensures that the available funding is used to provide maximum benefit to education.������

Looking at the��Long Term:��Los Altos High School��

In some cases, the best course of action is a combination of modernization and building replacement projects phased over��several��years. At Los Altos High School��in��California’s��Silicon Valley,��a carefully planned sequence of projects over a��10-year��period��reimagined a legacy mid-century campus into a flexible, student-centered learning environment that supports academic innovation, student wellness, career technical education��(CTE),��athletics��and community engagement.����

Guided by a comprehensive campus-planning strategy with multi-layered community engagement,��the��master plan strengthened the relationships between academic buildings, student-centered outdoor��spaces��and shared community resources.��Several��existing buildings that could continue to support the��school’s academic��programs��were renovated to update worn-out finishes and systems��—��and some��more extensively��to address code compliance��issues��and reconfigure learning environments to provide more flexible and modern spaces.��New facilities include a classroom building, CTE building, student services��center��and auxiliary gym.��Prioritizing flexibility and connections to the outdoors, these spaces expand��opportunities��for learning and support student health and wellness.��

The project was designed to achieve��a high level��of sustainability with major projects achieving LEED certification.��All-electric HVAC systems and an extensive solar array combine��to significantly lower the environmental footprint of the campus.��Careful project planning was��required��to��allow construction to continue in phases��while continuing operations of the school��with as little disruption as possible.��Together, these projects have��significantly transformed the campus into a high-performing, future-ready learning environment that directly supports student achievement,��wellness��and long-term��educational��goals.��

A Fresh Start:��Lake Elementary School��

There are also many��cases��where��it makes��the��most sense��to��completely��start��over. At��Lake Elementary School in San Pablo,��Ca.,��the buildings��were old and undersized and no longer supported the school’s educational programs or the needs of the surrounding community.��These challenges,��and the��cost of upgrading the existing��facilities,��resulted in��a plan for a two-phase replacement of the existing campus on the same site.������

The new elementary school��now��serves��470 students in��grades��transitional kindergarten (TK) through��grade six. A welcoming front entrance provides administrative services and library space that can also accommodate community events after school hours.��New��classrooms for��the first through third��grades��are housed within a��learning��suite; a concept��in which��each classroom opens to a large, shared��flexible space��to support a variety of teaching and learning approaches. A separate, similar��learning��suite��supports��students in grades��four through six.��Further, a��distinct��early-childhood education cluster provides dedicated learning environments��and outdoor gathering and play areas��for the��campus’��youngest students.��The multi-purpose building,��located��in the heart of the campus, provides food service, indoor��and��outdoor dining, and performance and gathering space.����

Lake��Elementary School’s��new campus was designed with significant input from the staff and community and features bright colors and��a strong sense��of identity to engage with the��community and foster pride.����

Constructing the new campus while continuing to welcome students every day��required��careful planning and collaboration. The first phase of construction built the new administration,��library��and classrooms on the existing��fields,��leaving most of the existing buildings operational.��Following this completion,��the��project��team removed the remaining original buildings and constructed the new multi-purpose��room, early childhood classrooms,��playgrounds��and��athletic��fields in their place.��The end result��is a completely new campus that will serve the community many years into the future.������

Read more in the Design & Construction Issue of ������Ů, available now.

Aaron Jobson is president and CEO of Quattrocchi Kwok Architects in Santa Rosa and Oakland, Ca., and Castle Rock,��Colo.��He��is a member of the ������٠Editorial Advisory Board��and��can be reached at��aaronj@qka.com.��

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MILPITAS, Calif. — Milpitas Unified School District has broken ground on Phase III of its Milpitas Innovation Campus, starting the final construction stage of a multi-phase learning and career training hub in Milpitas.����

District and project leaders said the last phase will add dedicated facilities for workforce development and early childhood education research, building on campus components that opened in fall 2023 and fall 2024.����

Phase III is planned to deliver two separate buildings: a 9,000-square-foot Workforce Development Center and a 3,500-square-foot Early Childhood Education Research Center, according to QKA.����

MUSD Superintendent Cheryl Jordan pointed to the campus’s broader impact, saying, “The multi-year development of this project at the intersection of global Silicon Valley has allowed us to see the benefits these facilities and programs are already bringing to our students, residents and businesses.”��

Jordan also described the role of the final phase within the overall campus plan: “Phase Three is the cornerstone of the MUSD Innovation Campus as it provides our industry, governance, community organizations and educators with a place to convene in partnership for work-based learning and durable skills development for career and life.”��

QKA said the Workforce Development Center will include meeting rooms, offices, conference rooms, a cafe,��kitchen��and lobby. The meeting rooms are designed to be reconfigured using operable partitions to create larger gathering space for conferences and��MUSD��Board of Education meetings. The kitchen is planned to open to a covered outdoor dining area��adjacent to��the campus’s existing main quad.����

The Early Childhood Education Research Center is described as having two classrooms with restrooms, along with breakout and administrative spaces.����

QKA President Aaron Jobson said the team emphasized flexibility across age groups and subject areas, noting the goal was to create “adaptable learning environments” that can support “a wide range of subjects and industries.”����

Project partners include QKA as designer for all phases, Blach Construction as builder and TBK Construction Management as construction manager.����

The release also notes sustainability measures such as designing toward Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) certification, using renewable power from MUSD’s existing photovoltaic system, and incorporating energy-efficient lighting, all-electric mechanical systems, stormwater��catchment��and water-efficient landscaping.����

Funding for the $90 million,��nearly 100,000-square-foot��Innovation Campus is attributed to the 2018 Bond Measure AA and California state-matching grants, with Phase��III��expected to complete in��summer 2027.����

This article is based on a press release originally published by Quattrocchi Kwok Architects on April 28, 2026.����

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What You Need to Know

• West Contra Costa Unified School District recently celebrated completion of the Lake Elementary School Campus Replacement Project in San Pablo, Calif.
• The Bond Measure R-funded, design-build effort replaced an outdated campus and will serve 470 students in transitional kindergarten through sixth grade.
• New construction totals 56,700 square feet and includes learning-suite classroom clusters, a library, administrative spaces and a multipurpose building with a kitchen sized to serve the full student body.
• Safety and accessibility upgrades include higher-elevation synthetic turf fields and new paved play areas, replacing flood-prone grass fields.
• The multipurpose room and library are planned for permitted community use after hours.

Learn More

SAN PABLO, Calif. — West Contra Costa Unified School District recently celebrated the completion of a new Lake Elementary School campus replacement designed to deliver modern learning environments for students in transitional kindergarten through sixth grade.

The Bond Measure R-funded project replaced an “outdated and undersized campus” and was delivered through a design-build partnership between Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA) and Alten Construction, according to a press release from QKA.

The new campus is designed to serve 470 students and introduces 56,700 square feet of facilities that extend beyond standard classroom space. In addition to new instructional areas, the project includes a library, administrative spaces and a multipurpose building with a large kitchen that can serve the full student body, the release states.

“This campus marks a new era for our students and the entire community,” said WCCUSD Superintendent Cheryl Cotton. “These facilities are a source of immense pride, replacing buildings that were no longer up to code or capable of supporting our educational programs. The campus now provides students and staff with the essential resources they need to thrive. Thank you to the project team and the community for your support in bringing our new school to life.” according to .

Instructional areas are organized around the “Learning Suite” concept intended to support specialized and collaborative teaching. Under the approach, classrooms are grouped around shared, flexible open spaces and break-out areas, the release states.

Site work prioritized safety and accessibility, including replacing flood-prone grass fields with higher-elevation synthetic turf fields and adding new paved play areas. The release also positions the campus as a civic hub, with the multipurpose room and library available for permitted community use after school hours.

“We are proud to partner with the district and Alten to make the new Lake Elementary School a reality. Our priority was ensuring a safe learning environment both during the complex phases of construction and for generations of students to come,” said QKA Principal John Dybczak. according to .

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OAKLAND, Calif.—Students, teachers and staff at Fremont High School (FHS) in the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) recently returned to significant new and modernized facilities for in-person learning. Designed as a joint project by LCA Architects (LCA) and Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA), the campus now boasts new and updated academic spaces, including state-of-the-art science labs and Career Technical Education (CTE) classrooms, as well as a new athletics complex and a Wellness Center. The project was built as a joint venture between Cahill Contractors and Focon.

“Fremont High School is blessed to finally have facilities that match the beauty and potential of its students,” said Co-Principal Tom Skjervheim. “Our CTE labs for multimedia/broadcasting and architecture/construction have exceeded our dreams of what we imagined for our students and are truly authentic industry spaces that professionals would be jealous of. Our science labs, gymnasium, stadium, Wellness Center and remodeled classrooms are now state-of the-art and we are grateful to the entire project team for helping to make this a reality for our community.”

Totaling 45,000 square feet of new construction and 40,000 square feet of modernization, the project includes a new modular 12-classroom building, as well as the complete renovation of an existing classroom building and historic campus library. In addition to seismic upgrades, new exterior skin and building systems, the building’s updated interior classroom layout made way for science labs and specialized CTE classrooms for Digital Media, Architecture and Engineering, boasting an audio/video recording studio, drafting lab and maker space. Updates to the FHS campus layout allowed for the addition of a parking lot, entry gate and revamped reception area including a conference room and staff workspace.

A complete upgrade to FHS’ athletics and wellness offerings, the project also includes a new gymnasium, fitness center and regulation size football stadium that will allow the school to host home games for the first time in its history. Amenities include sports lighting, bleachers, press box, concessions and locker rooms. Both the gymnasium and stadium are equipped with video scoreboards with fiber connections to the Digital Media classroom for live production capability during games and student training and feature murals by a local Oakland artist. A new Wellness Center provides on-campus medical and dental services.

“This project was an ambitious undertaking in that it touched so many facets of the campus, truly resulting in a completely new experience for students, staff and the community,” said QKA Principal and President Aaron Jobson. “Collaboration with our seasoned partners allowed the team to achieve OUSD’s desire for enhanced and specialized facilities to accommodate modern programs and its growing enrollment, with a focus on sustainability and career readiness.”

“Community input was especially important to the planning and design of this project,” said LCA CEO Carl Campos. “Fremont High School is a local icon dating back to 1905 and it was critical to honor the community’s sentiments and the campus’ historical significance. Students played an important role, contributing design ideas and project support. Ultimately, it was through the combined dedication of the District and campus leadership, architects, engineers and contractors that the vision for Fremont High was realized.”

Sustainably designed, the project team made ample use of daylighting and natural ventilation, ultimately rendering the project Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) Verified and Solar Ready. The project was funded by Bond Measure J.

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